Bahrain: Royal riders step up preparations

Gulf-daily-news.com

Monday, November 01, 2010


BAHRAIN'S Royal Endurance Team members stepped up their preparations for the Endurance Horseride Championship in Rabat, set to take place on Friday at 3pm (Bahrain time).

The event, to be held under the patronage of Chairwoman of the Moroccan Equestrian Federation (MEF) Princess Lalla Amina, will be the first joint endurance ride involving riders from Bahrain and Morocco.

The Bahraini team's participation is in line with the directives issued by His Majesty King Hamad.

Leading the Bahraini team at this event is the Supreme Council for Youth and Sports president and Bahrain Olympic Committee chief Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa.

The team also includes Bahrain Royal Equestrian and Endurance Federation president Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa and other prominent Bahaini riders.

The championship will take place at the Endurance Village of the MEF near the Moroccan University.

The ride consists of 120 kms divided into five stages. The first stage will be over 30 kms, the second over 25 kms, the third over 30kms, the fourth over 20 kms and the fifth and final stage will be over 15 kms.

This ride, to be organised for the first time, has been approved by the International Equestrian Federation.

Commenting on this occasion, Shaikh Nasser said he is happy with the present preparations at the venue and confident of success.

Significance

He added that the hard work put up by the organisers underlines the significance of this ride, and the keenness of the Moroccan Equestrian Federation, under the presidency of Princess Lalla Amina, to make this event an all round success.

Shaikh Nasser also confirmed that members of the Bahrain team have prepared themselves well ahead of the championship, adding that his side have come to Rabat to win top awards.

On his part, Shaikh Khalid highlighted the significant efforts of Princess Lalla Amina in the development of equestrian and endurance activities in Morocco.

Shaikh Khalid, who is also vice-president of the Supreme Council fro Youth and Sports, confirmed that this ride will be a new era of co-operation between the Bahrain and Moroccan Equestrian Federations.

Meanwhile, Princess Lalla Amina met with members of the Bahrain delegations in Rabat.

During the meeting, both parties discussed means of co-operation and co-ordination to take the strong ties between Bahrain and Morocco a step further.

Shaikh Nasser's Media and Information Centre's director Tawfiq Salehi also had a successful meeting with officials from the Moroccan Television Corporation and agreed to broadcast the ride live on Bahrain Sports Channel.